Atimonan mayor questions police checkpoint

MANILA, Philippines - The mayor of Atimonan, Quezon has raised questions about the location of a police checkpoint where an alleged shootout that killed 13 men took place.

Mayor Jose Mendoza said he was not informed that police set up a checkpoint in that area especially since he had just come back from vacation.

"Unfortunately, I was in San Diego last Christmas until New Year. I got back last Sunday and I was here when the incident happened. I was surprised by the news. I did not know that a checkpoint was there," he told radio dzMM.

Mendoza said he presumed that his own police chief was given prior notice that a checkpoint would be set up. He noted that his own officer-in-charge while he was on vacation was not informed.

The mayor said the boundary of Plaridel and Atimonan, Quezon is not usually a place where police set up checkpoints. He said the only reason why police would set up a checkpoint in that area is if they received intelligence reports that criminal elements would pass there.